1Ah, soiled, defiled,
oppressing city!
2It has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction.
It has not trusted in the Lord;
it has not drawn near to its God.

3The officials within it
are roaring lions;
its judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing until the morning.
4Its prophets are reckless,
faithless persons;
its priests have profaned what is sacred,
they have done violence to the law.
5The Lord within it is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Every morning he renders his judgement,
each dawn without fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.

6I have cut off nations;
their battlements are in ruins;
I have laid waste their streets
so that no one walks in them;
their cities have been made desolate,
without people, without inhabitants.
7 I said, “Surely the city will fear me,
it will accept correction;
it will not lose sight
of all that I have brought upon it.”
But they were the more eager
to make all their deeds corrupt.